Apparatus for simultaneously filling recesses in a matrix or the like with a number of elongated articles



v a 2 e 9X h an 2m m 3 m A S 2 March 1966 J. F. M. TIMMERMANS APPARATUSFOR SIMULTANEOUSLY FILLING RECESSES IN OR THE LIKE WITH A NUMBER OFELONGATED ARTICLES Filed Sept. 16, 1964 1 FIGJ QW/ a, w

FIG.2

INVENTOR.

JOANNES F.M.T|MMER MANS BY M 2 AGE March 1 J. F. M. TIMMERMANS 3,241,222

SSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS IX OR THE Fi 111111111111 64 MMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM NS United States Patent ,07 4 Claims.(Cl. 29-203) In the mass production of products for electrotechnicaluses it is often necessary to insert an elongated conductorwire througha bore in one of a large number of small objects such as transistorcomponents and the like. This is a very time consuming job when donemanually and particularly when the openings to be filled are quitesmall.

The object of the invention is to provide apparatus for simultaneouslyfilling each bore or recess with an elongated conductor in a largenumber of objects.

The apparatus according to the invention is characterized by a vibratingcontainer having a number of storage chambers each of which contain anupright bundle of elongated conductors, said chambers having one channelor a group of channels through each of which a conductor can leave theassociated bundle and arrive in an opening of an object located in aholder mounted below the chambers and which is movable in areciprocating manner with respect to the said chambers. The holder inone of its positions forming a depth limit for the conductors located inthe opening and the holder so that the rear ends of those conductorscannot leave the channels until the remaining bundles in their chambersare localized. Then the holder with the inserted conductor is moved withrespect to the chambers. Each time the apparatus is vibrated oneconductor of a bundle is separated per channel. By causing the holder toserve as an abutment member in one of its positions for the elongatedarticle in question (conductor), in a manner such that the rear end ofthat article has not yet left its channel, thus prevents, during thevibrating movement, more than one conductor leaving the associatedbundle. After the conductors have left the bundles as a result of thevibrating motion, every remaining conductor of a bundle is localized inits chamber.

The remaining conductors of a bundle may be localized in theirassociated chambers by clamping means. However, according to the natureof the articles or conductors this might give rise to damage. In suchcases use may be made of a further construction according to theinvention in which the position of the object holder in which it forms adepth limit for the articles passing into the holder is chosen so thatthe ends of the articles do not extend the full length of the relativechannels. The container having a startified construction for localisingthe remaining bundles, wherein the container comprises a sliding partresulting in the remaining bundles being given a prescribed obliqueangular position.

In this case, preferably, the chambers in the vibrating container aredefined by two parts, one part consisting of an apertured lower plate,the other part of the chamber being located in another apertured platemovable above the said lower plate as an egg timer. This offers theadvantage of a very simple construction.

In order that the invention may readily be carried into effect, anembodiment thereof will now be described more fully, by way of example,with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 diagrammatically shows a cross-sectional view of the deviceaccording to the invention in which bundles of elongated articles areupright.

FIG. 2 shows, on an enlarged scale, part of the device of FIG. 1 inwhich, however, the bundles of elongated articles assume an obliqueposition.

FIG. 3 shows a perspective view of part of a holder to be used duringthe manufacture of transistor component parts and FIG. 4 is across-sectional view of part of the holder shown in FIG. 3.

The device shown in FIGSpl and 2 comprises a base plate 1 with columns 3for for guiding a stand 5 and a plate 7. Supports 9 are mounted on thebase plate; between the stand 5 and the support 9 pressure springs 11are provided. Magnets 13 are provided outside the supports 9. By theintermitten energisation of these magnets, the stand 5 may be vibrated.

Angles 15 are connected to the plate 7 between which a holder consistingof the plates 17 and 19 can be inserted. In this embodiment this holderis a composite mould manufactured from graphite to be used in themanufacture of transistor component parts. These components comprise ametal disc 21 (FIGS. 3 and 4) in which one or several insulating members23 are provided. Circular recesses 24 are provided in these members 23in which a wireshaped current conductor 25 is located. With this mouldof graphite such component parts are assembled. First the discs 21 andthen the members 23 are provided. Finally the conductors 25 must bethreaded through the members 23. Then by a suitable thermal treatment,the member 23 is united both with the associated disc 21 and with theconductor 25. The device according to FIGS. 1 and 2 serves for thesimultaneous introduction of conductors 25 into the recesses 24.Beforehand, the mould was already provided with discs 21 and members 23.

Stanchions 27 were welded to the stand 5 between which the plates 29,31, 33, are provided (see FIG. 2). In these plates are providedfunnel-shaped aperture 37 (plate 29), 39 (plate 31), upwardly wideningbores 41 (plate 33) and egg timer-shaped bores 43 (plate 35). The plate35 can be moved between two extreme positions with respect to the plate33 by any suitable means (not shown). For that purpose the plate 35 isconnected to the plate 33 by a few screws 45. Slot-shaped apertures areprovided in the plate 35 in which the screws 45 can slide. The bores 41and 43 form storage chambers in each of which a bundle of currentconductors 25 can be stored. In FIG. 1 this bundle is shown in anupright position 47. All the chambers together form as it were avibrating container for many bundles of conductors. These chamberscommunicate with channels 39 at the bottoms. The pattern of the channels39 corresponds to that of the apertures 24 in the members 23 in theholders 17, 19. In this embodiment two channels 39 are available perchamber each having diameter somewhat larger than the diameter of acurrent conductor of the bundle 47. By sliding the plate 35 each bundlecan be given an oblique position (FIG. 2).

The .plate 7 can be moved up and down between two extreme positions byany suitable means (not shown). The upper position is determined by anabutment member 49 mounted on the support 9. Pressure springs 51normally hold the plate 7 in a lower position remote from the stand 5.Upward movement of the holder 7 takes place through a system of leversnot shown.

The simultaneous introduction of a number of associated currentconductors 25 into the recesses 24 of all the members 23 takes place asfollows:

First the holder (17, 19) which beforehand is provided with discs 21 andmembers 23, is arranged between the angles 15 of the plate 7. Thebundles of conductors assume the inclined position shown in FIG. 2. Theplate 7 is then moved upwards against the action of the springs 51; inits top position the plate 7 engages the abutment member 49. Then theplate 35 is moved towards the position shown in FIG. 1 and the magnets13 are energized. The stand 5 will start vibrating. As a result of thisa group of two conductors 25 from each bundle of conductors will passinto the channels 39 and, guided by the funnel-shaped apertures 37,vibrate exactly into the recesses 24 of the members 23. The height ofthe abutment member 49 is chosen so that the upper end of conductors 25vibrated into the member 23 in this manner have not left the channels 39(FIG. 2). Then the magnets 13 are switched OE and the plate 35 is movedagain so that the bundle of conductors is again given an oblique angularposition. Then the plate 7 with the graphite mould is moved downward sothat the conductors vibrated into this mould entirely leave the channels39. Finally the mould 17, 19 is removed from the holder 7.

In the embodiment described the thickness of the plate 31 is chosen sothat in the angular position of the bundle of conductors obtained byskewing the plate 35 and when channels 39 are empty no conductors canleave their bundles and pass through channels 39.

What is claimed is:

1. Apparatus for inserting one or more elongated conductors into anapertured component comprising a frame member including a movable holderfor supporting at least one said component, said frame member havingcolumns for movably guiding a stand means in spaced aligned relationwith said holder, a mechanism for vibrating said stand means; said standmeans comprising a series of plates having cooperable and coaxialapertures aligned with said component aperture, one of said plates beingadjacent said holder and having at least one funnel-shaped aperturetherethrough, a second plate of said series of plates having at leastone cylindrical aperture therethrough, a third plate of said series ofplates having at least one aperture having a widening bore convergingtoward the cylindrical apertures of said second plate, and a fourthplate juxtaposed relative to said third plate having at least oneegg-timer-shaped bore, said egg-timershaped bore and said widening boredefining a storage chamber adapted to contain a plurality of saidconductors which are substantially coaxial with said apertures in thealigned position of the apertures of the third and fourth plates; saidfourth plate being slideably mounted for offset movement relative tosaid third plate for obliquely positioning said conductors in the ofisetposition of said third and fourth plates.

2. Apparatus according to claim 1 with the addition of movable stopmeans for adjusting the spaced relation between said holder and saidfirst plate of the stand means whereby conductors inserted in theaperture of said component remains in both said funnel-shaped andcylindricalshaped apertures during vibration of said stand means.

3. Apparatus according to claim 2 wherein said holder consists of thematerial to be incorporated in said component.

4. Apparatus for inserting one or more elongated rods into an aperturecomprising a frame member, a holder means having an aperture forreceiving a rod, means for securing said holder on said frame member, astand means movably secured on said frame member in spaced, generallyaligned relation with said holder, and means for vibrating said standmeans; said stand means comprising a plurality of stacked plates havingnormally aligned apertures therethrough, at least two of said platesbeing juxtaposed and slideable relative to one another for misaligningthe apertures of said two plates, one of said two plates having anegg-timer-shaped aperture therein, the other of said two plates havingits aperture widening toward said egg-timer-shaped aperture whereby astorage chamber is defined by the apertures of said two plates for aplurality of rods introduced through said egg-timer aperture into saidwidening aperture, said plurality of rods being inclined relative tosaid two plates in the misaligned position of said two plates and in thealigned position of said plate, said rods being held in a generallyaligned position with the apertures of said stacked plates.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,768,431 10/1956Hughes 29200 3,061,919 11/1962 Tack 29203 X 3,067,495 12/1962 Chase29-241 X 3,127,669 4/1964 Reber et al 29-211 X WHITMORE A. WILTZ,Primary Examiner.

THOMAS H. EAGER, Examiner.

1. APPARATUS FOR INSERTING ONE OR MORE ELONGATED CONDUCTORS INTO ANAPERTURED COMPONENT COMPRISING A FRAME MEMBER INCLUDING A MOVABLE HOLDERFOR SUPPORTING AT LEAST ONE SAID COMPONENT, SAID FRAME MEMBER HAVINGCOLUMNS FOR MOVABLY GUIDING A STAND MEANS IN SPACED ALIGNED RELATIONWITH SAID HOLDER, A MECHANISM FOR VIBRATING SAID STAND MEANS; SAID STANDMEANS COMPRISING A SERIES OF PLATES HAVING COOPERABLE AND COAXIALAPERTURES ALIGNED WITH SAID COMPONENT APERTURE, ONE OF SAID PLATES BEINGADJACENT SAID HOLDER AND HAVING AT LEAST ONE FUNNEL-SHAPED APERTURETHERETHROUGH, A SECOND PLATE OF SAID SERIES OF PLATES HAVING AT LEASTONE CYLINDRICAL APERTURE THERETHROUGH, A THIRD PLATE OF SAID SERIES OFPLATES HAVING AT LEAST ONE APERTURE HAVING A WIDENING BORE CONVERGINGTOWARD THE CYLINDRICAL APERTURES OF SAID SECOND PLATE, AND A FOURTHPLATE JUXTAPOSED RELATIVE TO SAID THIRD PLATE HAVING AT LEAST ONEEGG-TIMER-SHAPED BORE, SAID EGG-TIMERSHAPED BORE AND SAID WIDENING BOREDEFINING A STORAGE CHAMBER ADAPTED TO CONTAIN A PLURALITY OF SAIDCONDUCTORS WHICH ARE SUBSTANTIALLY COAXIAL WITH SAID APERTURES IN THEALIGNED POSITION OF THE APERTURES OF THE THIRD AND FOURTH PLATES; SAIDFOURTH PLATE BEING SLIDEABLY MOUNTED FOR OFFSET MOVEMENT RELATIVE TOSAID THIRD PLATE FOR OBLIQUELY POSITIONING SAID CONDUCTORS IN THE OFFSETPOSITION OF SAID THIRD AND FOURTH PLATES.